Facebook's starboard ads are getting bigger but less numerous

Posted 09 April 2014 - 07:56 PM

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Like most Facebook users you've probably learned to ignore whatever is in the site's right-hand column, because it's usually creepy ads targeted at random snippets from your profile or Google searches.

But Facebook is hoping users will start paying attention again when it revamps those ads to be bigger.

Facebook says the new ads will be more in line with the ads that now appear in users' news feeds, with larger images.

At least there will be fewer of them now, the site said.

Advertisers are people too

"For advertisers, this offers a simpler way to create ads and an enhanced creative canvas on the right-hand column of Facebook," the social network wrote in a blog post.

It continues, "Because the updated ads mirror the overall shape of desktop News Feed ads, marketers will no longer have to choose separate images for News Feed and right-hand column placements."

Facebook also says the new ads will provide "a better experience for people."

Apparently early tests have shown up to three times as much engagement with the larger ads, though whether that's really better for people - or just for advertisers - is a subjective matter.

The new Facebook ads will roll out to users "in the coming months." Some advertisers will get the option in April, while others will need to wait until later in 2014.